Saudi shoots down Houthi drone, 5 Civilians Injured

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Air Defense Force on Friday shot down a Houthi drone targeting civilians in a residential area of the city of Abha, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces systems detected an unidentified object at 12:24 a.m. local time on Friday, flying towards residential areas in Abha, capital of Asir Region in the Kingdom’s south, SPA quoted Col. Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman of the Coalition Forces as stating Friday.

“The unidentified flying object was dealt with according to rules of engagement and destroyed. This resulted in fragments from the flying object falling on civilian properties and causing moderate injuries to four civilians, apart from damaging some civilian vehicles,” Col. Al-Maliki said.

“Specialists in the Joint Coalition Forces examined the fragments which turned out to be of a hostile drone launched by Houthis, with Iranian specifications,” Al-Maliki added. Al-Maliki in his statement issued a strong warning the Iranian-backed Houthi militias.

He said: “The Joint Coalition Forces strongly warn the terrorist Houthi militias, supported by Iran, against targeting civilian areas and civilians. Their use of terrorist methods in the suicide attack will be met with firm deterrent measures. The Joint Forces Command will take all deterrent measures, in line with humanitarian international law and its martial rules.”

Meanwhile, Asir Region Civil Defense Spokesman Col. Muhammad Bin Abdulrahman Al-Assimi told SPA that five civilians — four Saudi nationals, including one woman and one Indian expatriate — were injured due to falling fragments from an intercepted drone, launched by Iran-backed terrorist Houthi militias towards a residential area of Abha.

In addition, six vehicles and several houses suffered slight to moderate damage, Col. Al-Assimi added.